


You're My Light

by BelleofHell, copernicusjones



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
Genre: F/F, F/M, Ficlet Collection, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2019-10-19 03:05:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17593418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelleofHell/pseuds/BelleofHell, https://archiveofourown.org/users/copernicusjones/pseuds/copernicusjones
Summary: Alvarna is for lovers.A ficlet collection of all the possible pairings in Rune Factory 2 involving the first-gen bachelorettes, rivals, and Kyle (with a couple platonic sibling entries thrown in).





	1. Treasure - Cecilia/Kyle

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [I Took My Heart and Put It Next to Yours](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3086309) by [Milieu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milieu/pseuds/Milieu). 



> All pairings are listed alphabetically (i.e. all Alicia pairings will have her first, whereas all Yue pairings will have her second). So if you're looking for a certain pairing, keep an eye out for the person whose name shows up first alphabetically (ex: Kyle/Mana, not Mana/Kyle).

“Ceci, I brought you another jewel!”

“Oh!” Cecilia jumped and spun around, thankful she had only been polishing a mirror and not holding anything breakable. “Goodness, Kyle, you scared me!”

Kyle’s grin turned sheepish. “Sorry about that. I was just really excited to give you this emerald I found. It reminded me of your eyes.”

Cecilia felt her cheeks darken as Kyle gently set the beautiful piece of emerald on her palm. No matter how many times Kyle gave her a gem, it always left her flustered. Especially when he had such a bold compliment to go along with it. There was only one problem…

“Ceci?” Kyle asked, trying to get her attention. “Are you okay?”

Kyle was so earnest, so thoughtful. Cecilia felt awful for even thinking it, but… he gave her a lot of gems. A _lot_. Almost every day now he’d find her and give her a gem he “came across” (Cecilia didn’t believe for one second he simply came across all these gems) while adventuring. Cecilia had two little boxes under her bed full of gems from Kyle and she was pretty sure with this new addition she’d need a third. She was running out of room and she didn’t know how, or if she should, tell Kyle.

“You know if anything’s wrong, you can tell me,” Kyle assured her. “Is something wrong with the present?”

“No!” Cecilia insisted, louder than she’d meant to. “No,” she repeated, softer. “The presents are all wonderful, really. I love them…”

“But..?”

“But…” Cecilia took a moment before continuing. “There’s just… a lot of them. I’m running out of room.”

Realization spread across Kyle’s face. Cecilia braced herself for the worst, but then he laughed. “Oh, duh! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!” He laughed a moment more, then continued talking. “I was so obsessed with impressing you I didn’t even think of what you’d do with all the jewels I gave you.”

Cecilia chuckled nervously. “Yes, I suppose there’s not a lot you can do with just gems.”

Kyle’s expression turned thoughtful. “Well, not exactly. You can make jewelry out of them.”

“Well, I can’t. I never learned how to use a forge.”

“It’s never too late to start trying!” Kyle shot her a grin, the kind that made her pace quicken. “Everyone needs hobbies. Jake could teach you.”

Cecilia raised an eyebrow. “ _You_ are suggesting I spend more time with Jake?”

“Hey, I’m not possessive,” he said with a wink, which caused another blush on Cecilia’s face. “I’m serious, though,” he continued. “It’d be really cute to see you wearing jewelry made from jewels I found for you, and you could even sell some for extra cash if you wanted.”

Cecilia cocked her head to the side. “You wouldn’t be upset if I got rid of jewels that you gave me?”

Kyle shook his head. “Of course not! I’d be thrilled that they were helping you out somehow.”

Cecilia was still uncertain. Kyle could read the hesitation on her face. “How about we try it together? I have something in mind I’d like to forge one day so I could use some practice.” He looked straight into her eyes and this time she didn’t even try to stop the red that flooded her cheeks.


	2. Relief - Jake/Ray

The first, and only, person Jake saw upon entering the clinic was Natalie's apprentice. Her son. Ray.  
  
Well, one human was just as good—or as useless—as the next.  
  
Ray spotted Jake before he could announce himself, hurrying over into the lobby. They met halfway, and Ray's gaze immediately latched on to the bag of ice Jake was cradling against his burned hand.  
  
"Tanya sent me here," Jake told him by way of greeting. "She wouldn't let me keep working, so I didn't have a choice."  
  
That was the paraphrased version of it. More like, Tanya had pointed a sword between Jake's shoulderblades and marched him out of the Sharper Edge. It wasn't the first burn he'd suffered—although, admittedly, it was far more severe than anything in recent memory—and it likely wouldn't be the last. Just because some human wouldn't have been able to tough it out themselves, he was forced to come here.  
  
"Let's see." Ray reached not for Jake's hand, but the bag of ice pressed to it. Jake hissed as the ice was removed, revealing the violently red mark stretching from his right thumb down to his wrist. "Don't ever use ice, please. It's the worst thing you could put on a burn; it'll slow the blood flow."  
  
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Jake had known this, but it'd been the only thing available at Tanya's. And he'd been too preoccupied trying to ease the pain to think rationally. Ray didn't seem tough in the least, but it was remarkable how composed he was, at least compared to Tanya's hysterics.  
  
Ray instructed Jake to follow him, and the two of them moved to the back of the clinic, where Jake sat himself up on the gurney. Now with suitable light, Ray examined the burn more closely, turning Jake's hand slowly in his own.  
  
It was impressive, Jake thought, how focused and careful Ray was—not something Jake had come to expect from foolish humans.  
  
"Well, at least it's not blistering. It looks to be mostly an epidermal burn, so the good news is you can treat it similarly to if you'd been sunburned. I can give you some burn gel to take home—and probably some to keep at the blacksmith, too, just in case this happens again."  
  
Jake meant to tell Ray that he had no intention of this recurring, but Ray had already excused himself, presumably in search for the aforementioned gel.  
  
He returned a few minutes later with two small bottles that look liked they'd once contained alcohol—not the medicinal kind, either. Draped over his wrist was a limp rag, which he transferred to Jake's hand after setting the bottles down.  
  
The relief was immediate, cool comfort enveloping his inflamed skin. Ray folded the cloth around Jake's hand, tucking the ends under each other in a makeshift knot. "Keep it dry and clean until tomorrow, then dress it in bandages, with the gel applied.  This should help for now, though. "  
  
"I thought you said ice is horrible for burns." Jake scoffed—which wasn't easy, given how soothing the cloth was. "Water _is_ the same thing, you know."  
  
"It's not water," Ray explained. "I soaked the cloth in cold milk. It's not a cure, but the fat and protein help with the swelling. Although, if you get burned any worse, dunking your hand in a glass of milk won't do a whole lot."  
  
"You don't have to worry about that." Jake had to actively _try_ not to let his revulsion show. "I wouldn't go near something so disgusting."  
  
"Disgusting, maybe, but it's working, isn't it? Mom would use it all the time on us when we'd get sunburned as kids."  
  
"Hmph, who would have thought some _human_ remedy would be so... helpful to an elf."  
  
"Human, elf, we all bleed the same," Ray replied, reaching to retuck the cloth in where it'd loosened around Jake's hand. Paused. Added, more serious, tentative. "We all _hurt_ the same."  
  
Jake bit the inside of his cheek to keep from retorting that no, it wasn't the same. Because he wouldn't stoop to the same level as humans and lie, when it _was_ the same, at least in this case.

It wasn't like he kept up on the latest gossip in Alvarna, but he'd lived here long enough that he'd absorbed information about his peers purely through prolonged exposure. Ray's father had left him and his mother and sister, much like Jake's... well, he didn't like to call her a mother, but birthgiver?... like she'd left him and Dad. 

The silence had hovered between them too long; Ray's hand, pressing the cloth to Jake's, had lingered too long.  
  
"Thanks for your assistance, human." Dropping his hand abruptly, Jake hopped off the gurney, and clumsily retrieved the bottles of gel. "Hopefully I won't be back here anytime soon."  
  
"I understand." Ray gave Jake a small smile. "But you're always welcome here, Jake. Whether you're hurt or not."  
  
"Right." It was Jake's manner of saying goodbye, unable to manage anything more as he made his way out of the clinic. Thanks to Ray, his hand felt considerably better and somehow, something deeper inside him did too.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The milk thing is true - I found information mostly supporting the fact that milk aids the soothing of burns and only one piece of info opposing this notion, so. It's similar, from what I read, to how you should drink milk instead of water when you eat something hot/spicy.


	3. Hair - Julia/Mana

“You want to… what?”

“Play with your hair, silly!” Julia held up the cutely decorated box in her hands. “I wanna see what I can do with it!” 

Mana stared at the box with a mix of excitement and apprehension. The box was a disorganized mess of ribbons and clips and ties and anything else you could possibly put in someone’s hair. Mana thought she saw the handle of a brush sticking out of the mess, but all the bright colors were starting to hurt her eyes, so she looked back at Julia instead. 

Julia’s excitement appeared to be dying down, like she could see the hesitation in Mana’s eyes. “You don’t have to let me if you don’t want to,” Julia shrugged. “I just thought it might be fun for us to hang out tonight.” 

“No, I think we should!” Mana quickly assured. “You just caught me by surprise, haha…” She tapered off with an awkward laugh. It wasn’t a lie. Mana hadn't expected to be ambushed by an overly enthusiastic Julia when she got out of the bath, warm and clean and wrapped in a fuzzy grey robe. She really did think it sounded like fun. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. 

“Oh!” Julia’s grin grew fast on her face again. “Great! Can I set you up by the front counter in case another customer comes in?” 

Mana nodded and Julia led her to a stool behind the front counter. Julia set the box down and began rifling through it. In search of what, Mana didn’t have a clue. Eventually she pulled out a pale purple brush and turned back to Mana. Mana was fairly certain it wasn’t the same brush she saw earlier. 

“I’ll just brush it out to start with,” Julia said and walked around Mana so she could start gently pulling the brush through Mana’s hair. She started at the bottom, slowly working out the tangles there before moving higher up on Mana’s head. 

It was… relaxing. Very, very relaxing. Mana hadn’t had someone brush her hair since her father did it because she was too young to do it herself. It definitely hadn’t been relaxing back then. She remembered constantly reprimanding him for pulling too hard. Julia, however, knew exactly what she was doing. Her strokes were delicate, causing a rhythmic sound that almost lulled Mana to sleep. 

After a few minutes Julia set the hairbrush down. She seemed to be just as affected by the calm atmosphere as Mana was. She didn’t say a word as she divided Mana’s hair into three strips and began braiding them. With her practiced hands, it didn’t take long to reach the end. 

“Can you grab a ribbon for me? I don’t want to let go of your braid.” Julia finally broke the silence and Mana almost jumped. 

“Sure.” Mana eyed the box warily and stuck her hand in. It came back out with a pink ribbon and Mana sighed in relief. 

“Thanks!” Julia took the ribbon from Mana’s hand and quickly tied it at the end of her braid. “There! You should really braid your hair more often. This braid’s pretty basic but I think a side braid would look especially cute on you.” 

And there it was. A comment that had Mana nearly backed into a corner. She could brush it off, sure. Just say she would braid her hair in the future and move on. But, maybe… maybe Julia could help with Mana’s little problem. Mana took a deep breath, and when she spoke, she was thankful Julia couldn’t see her face. “I… don’t know how to braid,” she admitted. 

There was a slight pause before Julia spoke. “Don’t sound so embarrassed! It’s not that weird. I can teach you how to braid! It might take you a little while to get really good at braiding so if you want your hair pulled back you could always use a ponytail or-” 

“I don’t know how to make a ponytail either.” 

The pause was longer this time. “Oh. Really?” 

Mana nodded. Julia took her moment of silence as an opportunity to lean against the counter so she could see Mana’s face. “I can brush and tie ribbons into my hair but that’s really… it,” Mana finished with a resigned sigh. 

Julia looked thoughtful. “I guess that makes sense. Your dad doesn’t seem like the type to know that stuff.” 

Mana felt the corner of her mouth twitch into a smile. “No, he’s never thought that kind of stuff is important.” 

“Well, I think it is important.” Julia stood and tugged the ribbon out of Mana’s hair, letting the dark strands fall back into place. “Hairstyles are a cheap way to express your style. I’m going to teach you everything I know about hair!” Julia announced, looking determined. There was a fierce gleam in her eye that made Mana giggle. 

“We’ll start with the basics. First, a ponytail!” Mana was startled by the nimble fingers running through her hair. Instead of serene, Mana felt… exhilarated. That was the right word. 

But she didn't have time that night to examine why Julia’s fingers in her hair exhilarated her. Mana was nothing if not a good student. She’d worry about such pesky things in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I ever learn to draw I'm drawing Mana with a side braid over her shoulder. It'd be cute and you know it.


	4. Inviting - Barrett/Max

Hate was a strong word.  
  
Barrett hated festivals.  
  
Or, no, actually, Barrett hated the days _preceding_ festivals. Couldn't stand the town humming with excitement over what rarely lived up to anyone's expectations (and then there was Barrett, who had long since bothered even _having_ any expectations).  
  
All this false cheerfulness, as if these festivals meant a damn thing, other than an excuse to get together and drink and gossip. This wasn't entirely different than most days in Alvarna, but at least on those days Barrett didn't have to constantly absorb all the nauseatingly disingenuous conversations that abounded.  
  
Or find himself thrust into one.  
  
"Hi, Barrett!~ Fancy seeing you here," purred an unmistakable voice from somewhere behind him.  
  
_You mean in the middle of the park that everyone passes through?_ Barrett tried to pretend he hadn't heard Alicia, hurrying along, but it was no use. Her hand closed upon his wrist, the shock of it sending him whirling around so forcefully that she released him and stumbled a few steps away.  
  
He didn't like having his personal space invaded; even less so did he like having his personal _life_ intruded upon, but he suspected that was exactly why Alicia was trying to talk to him.  
  
" _What_? What do you want?"  
  
Undeterred by his reaction, she flashed him a welcoming smile—like her favorite customer had just walked up. "The Cherry Blossom Festival's tomorrow, you know."  
  
One of the more "romantic" festivals in town. Of course all the girls would be buzzing about this.  
  
And of course Alicia could not possibly imagine how much he did not care.  
  
"Yeah," Barrett's voice sounded faraway to his own ears, as he was still trying to calm down from Alicia's sneaking up on him. "Same as every year."  
  
"Is it?" Alicia's smile curled more wicked. "Because my fortune says that for you, Barrett, it'll be quite different."  
  
"I don't ca—"  
  
"That you won't have your usual company to pass the afternoon with. And that she'll be in rather... _different_ company, herself."  
  
Dorothy. He cared about her—who in their right mind _wouldn't?—_ but it wasn't his business who she spent her time with. Just because they usually spent festivals together along Falling Star Path didn't mean he expected it each and every time.  
  
"Yeah, and...? That's what you stopped me for? Your stupid gossip? I got better things to do than listen to this crap."  
  
"It's not _gossip_ ," Alicia's face fell but her voice rose. "It's my inner eye, seeing all! And right now it's seeing _you_ as miserably alone. Not just tomorrow, but for the rest of your life."  
  
Barrett hoped his expression didn't betray how deeply Alicia's words cut. He'd never cared what his peers thought, but few had voiced, and so viciously, something that'd been a very real fear for him ever since his mother died.  
  
Just as he opened his mouth to tell Alicia off, another arm fell over his shoulders, accompanied by the scent of crisp cologne. This time Barrett didn't jerk away, only flinched as he found himself secured to the spot by Max de Sainte-Coquille.  
  
"Barrett! There you are!" Max grinned down at him for... well, this was Max, so no apparent reason, before turning to Alicia as if just noticing her. "Oh, hello, Alicia. Beautiful evening, isn't it?"  
  
"Just as I predicted!" Alicia beamed, seemingly having recovered from Barrett's skepticism now that Max was present.  
  
"Yes, and about that: I couldn't help but overhear you telling our friend Barrett here," Max paused to reach his free hand across Barrett and pat him soundly on the chest, "that his luck in spending tomorrow's Cherry Blossom Festival with someone is next to nil."  
  
Alicia's eyes narrowed, evidently distrustful of Max's interest. "That's right. It's crystal clear to me; someone with a bad attitude like his won't have a date tomorrow _or_ for the foreseeable future."  
  
Barrett could only watch in a sort of thrall as the banter escalated, his eyes volleying between Alicia and Max.  
  
"That's so curious, because I have it on good authority that Barrett's going to be spending tomorrow with _the_ most sought-after single in town."  
  
Whoa, whoa... what was Max talking about...? Barrett started to ask, "What...?" but was drowned out by Alicia demanding, "And who might _that_ be?"  
  
"Haha, well, what are you asking _me_ for? Your... what is it, your Inner Eye? It should be able to show you, shouldn't it? Perhaps you just have to focus it a little harder." Max's tone was gratingly pleasant, even more so as he continued as if this were casual conversation. "I mean, you'll have plenty of time to do so tomorrow, won't you? Having the afternoon to yourself and all?"  
  
By now, Alicia's face was almost as pink as her hair, and she let out a frustrated huff before pushing past Max and Barrett, disappearing from the park into the east end of Alvarna.  
  
"Come on, Barrett." Max dropped his arm from Barrett's shoulders, leading them towards the west end of Alvarna.  
  
"How much did you hear?" Barrett muttered, avoiding looking at Max as they walked.  
  
"Enough," said Max, and Barrett didn't think Max de Sainte-Coquille dealt in one-word responses, but he was grateful in this instance to be proven wrong.  
  
When they stopped in front of the Sainte-Coquille Mansion and Barrett managed a goodbye (he could throw in the "thank you" tomorrow), Max startled him by asking him to wait a moment.  
  
"If you've the time right now, perhaps we can discuss the arrangements for tomorrow over tea? To ensure Alicia's properly convinced, and everything."  
  
"You want to talk about me attending the festival with 'Alvarna's most sought-after single'?"  
  
"Me. That 'single' is me. So yes, Barrett, I do."  
  
And Barrett, who didn't like tea or talking about _festival_ _arrangements_ or Alicia, somehow didn't hate it, not even a little bit, when he accepted Max's offer.  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my THIRD attempt at writing Max/Barrett and keeping it short and I still barely kept it under 1000 words. But thanks to **BelleofHell** for giving me an idea that I could work with! (Honestly I want to write a ton more of Max/Barrett just because I don't... even really ship it?? It just makes me lol forever I guess)


	5. Rain - Julia/Max

"This is so ridiculous!" Julia's frustrated exclamation echoed up from the foyer of Sainte-Coquille manor through Max's open bedroom door. "Why is it pouring like this?!"  
  
What piqued Max's curiosity even more than Julia's question was the fact that Julia was still _here_ , in the manor, when they'd exchange their goodbyes over ten minutes ago. Max couldn't imagine it'd taken her and Rosalind this long to gather all the extra fruit salad Cecilia made from the kitchen, that'd been promised to Julia during what should have been a quick social visit, but had turned into an entire afternoon filled with tea and conversation between the three of them.  
  
He wandered out to the hallway, spying on his sister and Julia from above. Their dialogue continued at a much quieter volume, drowned out by rain drumming on the tall windowpanes framing the manor. The beautiful blue spring morning had been swept away, replaced by what was verging on a storm. Max had never found himself terribly bothered by such changes in the weather, but seeing Julia so perturbed created a similar sullenness, to match the grey misery outside.  
  
Judging by their gestures, Max could tell that Julia's primary concern was how she was supposed to transport the large bowl of fruit salad while also handling an umbrella to shield herself—and her hair and outfit—from the rain. Rosalind, he knew, was kind enough that she'd offer to hold the umbrella for Julia, at the expense of possibly getting wet herself.  
  
But what she _wasn't_ was quick enough.  
  
"If only you had an extra set of hands," Max commented, casually leaning forward with his arms resting against the landing's rail. "If _only_."

* * *

And so it was that Max was Julia's chaperone back to Wisdom Bathhouse on the east side of Alvarna. Such duties—escorting a young woman to a particular destination—were not out of the ordinary from someone as chivalrous as Max de Sainte-Coquille. But this was _Julia_ and therefore he felt the peculiar mix of giddiness and trepidation he associated with the characters in the fantastical stories Rosalind enjoyed. That is, he found it astounding that he, as a living, breathing person could experience such extreme, heart-twisting emotions that he had previously assumed were mere products of fiction.  
  
This was decidedly _not_ anything out of any kind of novel. No fictional hero would be in Max's position, wielding not an umbrella large enough to cover the both of them but the only sort of protection available: Rosalind's lacy seafoam green parasol that, if Max held _just_ so, prevented Julia's silver curls and wrinkle-free dress from suffering any damage.  
  
The only thing still intact from when Max had left the manor was his smile. He kept it pinned up as Julia chatted away about the new shipment of lavender soap she'd gotten in. He couldn't help but wonder if Julia was purposely avoiding looking at him as a method of flirtation, playing the coquette, or if he looked as appalling as he felt, and she just couldn't bear it.  
  
He knew his hair, once styled, was now plastered down against his head and neck, and it seemed as if every drop of rain was being drawn directly to his collar, streaming in tickly rivulets down his back. His slacks were likely a lost cause, given the high-quality fabric they were sewn from.  
  
He didn't care. Wisdom Bathhouse was within sight, and Julia was safe and dry.  
  
Once inside the bathhouse's threshold, Max could use the parasol to shield himself. Not that it mattered at this point—he couldn't get any _more_ wet, but it did keep the water out of his eyes, for the most part, so he could properly look at Julia.  
  
"Thanks for walking me home, Max. I really appreciate it," she told him, adjusting the giant bowl of fruit salad in her arms. "Ugh, but I'm gonna have a word with Alicia about this. When I saw her this morning, she said it'd be clear skies all day!"  
  
"Hm, but I'm guessing she told you this _before_ Kyle stopped by to see her." While Max knew that Kyle was no slouch when it came to his farm, everyone needed a day off now and then; he wouldn't be surprised if Kyle had paid Alicia a visit to ensure Mother Nature took over his tasks, if only for a day.  
  
"Yeah..." Julia sighed. "Well, whatever, I'm home now and that's what matters. Which means the first thing I'm gonna do is sink into a nice warm bath."  
  
Max blinked, as if there was still rainwater he needed to get out. "Pardon? A nice... _bath_?"  
  
"Yeah!" Julia beamed. "It'd just feel... _amaxing_ , soaking in a Toyherb scented bath and letting it envelop me, head to toe. Wash down with some luxurious Charm Blue-infused soap."  
  
"Soak?" Max repeated. With his available hand, he smoothed away the hair caked along his brow. Droplets flung off his fingers. "Head to toe?"  
  
With a giggle, Julia nodded. "That's the only way. There's nothing better!"  
  
Max's smile softened, amusement and affection winning out over his disbelief. "If you say so, Julia, then I'll have to take your word for it."  
  
"Duh, of course you will. Thanks again, Max." Julia moved forward a step; Max presumed it was to close the front door with her elbow, but no. It was to lean out enough that rain trickled onto her as she pressed up onto her toes and gave Max a peck on the cheek. _Then_ , she did as he expected, backing away and nudging the front door closed with her shoulder.  
  
The parasol lay in a puddle on the ground beside Max, a victim of his shock at Julia's action. He left it there, standing frozen to the spot with a damp hand touching his damp cheek, finding it truly interesting, in every sense of the word, how the rain was pouring down in sheets and here he was in a world where the sun was shining the warmest and brightest it ever had.  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our first appearance of a canon couple! As far as the rival couples go in HM/RF games, I think Max/Julia is one of the better ones (then again I am biased lmao). Also, this was a product of the April Showers prompt for **rfweeks** 's Villager Romance week on tumblr. Hopefully we'll be able to use a few more of the prompts to get some entries in here!


	6. Fixing - Dorothy/Yue

Dorothy was startled out of the monotonous routine of taking inventory at the clinic by the slam of the front door and a voice yelling, “Dorothy, it’s an _emergency_!”

So naturally Dorothy dropped her clipboard in surprise, head whipping up so fast her hood slipped off and left her head exposed. 

At the door stood Yue, who was soaking and muddy and dripping water all over the wooden floor. 

Dorothy rushed over to the other girl. “Are you alright?” she asked, scanning Yue for any visible injuries. It was obvious she must have fallen in the rain, which had been pouring nonstop all day. She didn’t look hurt, so why was she yelling? 

“No, I’m not alright,” Yue practically wailed, letting the door shut behind her. “I slipped and fell in a bunch of mud! And as if that wasn’t bad enough my kimono got stuck on a twig and ripped!” Yue held up her right arm to show Dorothy. Sure enough, a large rip ran down part of the sleeve. 

Dorothy didn’t know how to respond to Yue’s bemoaning, so she stuck to what she understood instead, her nurse duties. “Are you hurt?” Her voice was quieter than it was before, now that she realized there wasn’t an _actual_ emergency. 

“No, no, I’m fine,” Yue responded. 

“Then what was the emergency?” Dorothy asked patiently. 

“My sleeve!” Yue showed her again. “I need help fixing it. I know you’re really good at sewing. Would you fix it? Please?” 

Dorothy was never going to say no, but Yue’s puppy-dog eyes never even gave her a chance. She nodded and Yue let out an excited yell. 

“Thank you so much! This kimono is one of my favorites. I can wash out the mud no problem, but I’m useless with a needle and thread.” 

“I don’t mind h-helping,” Dorothy responded, cheeks flushing at the return of her stutter. 

Yue only smiled wider and took Dorothy’s hands in hers, giving them a light squeeze. “I really, really appreciate it.” 

Dorothy felt her heart skip a beat. She knew this time it wasn’t because of her social anxiety. “It’s no problem,” she replied, with no stutter at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe if I write about girls holding hands enough it'll happen to me fkjgjdgk
> 
> Lmao but in all seriousness, this chapter was inspired by rfweek's Village Romance week on tumblr. Today's prompt was April Showers. So, here's two rain themed chapters in a row lol
> 
> I hope Yue was in character? Idk why I was so nervous writing her, but I hope you all enjoyed!


	7. Classroom - Barrett/Mana

“Oh, Barrett, isn’t it beautiful?”

Barrett couldn’t bring himself to agree with Mana. Cozy, maybe. Quaint, if someone held a sword up to his throat and made him say it. But not beautiful. 

While Mana stared around the newly built classroom with starry eyes, Barrett wore his usual unimpressed glare. He didn’t really get why she was freaking out so much. The classroom didn’t even have anything in it yet. The building team had only finished up the day before and they had yet to receive their shipment of school supplies. It was basically just an empty room. 

And yet Mana was already dashing from one end to another, rambling about where she wanted to put what. The teacher’s desk here, the blackboard there. She cared way more about that stuff than Barrett did. 

“We should go over our lesson plans,” Barrett interrupted. 

Mana turned from her spot against the wall, where she had been passionately reciting everything she wanted to hang up there. “Barrett, we’ve gone over our lesson plans so many times. I know you’re nervous, but we can focus on something else for a little bit.” 

Barrett bristled at the accusation. “I am _not_ nervous.” 

Mana smirked, an expression that looked completely out of place on her. “Barrett, we’ve spent around 85% of our time together the past few months. I think I know you pretty well by now. But if you say you aren’t nervous, then sure. I believe you.” 

Barrett blinked in surprise. Where the hell had this devious side come from? 

Actually, looking back to when they were kids, Barrett knew exactly where her devious side came from. She only got better at hiding it throughout the years. He didn’t know if her believable ‘innocent daddy’s little girl’ act annoyed him or impressed him. 

Not that Mana was evil or anything. No evil person would put so much care and effort into being a teacher. Hell, she hadn’t even started the actual teaching yet, but it was obvious she was going to kill it. 

So, Barrett supposed he respected Mana, even if her bubbly persona could be a little grating. 

Mana was still smiling at him with a twinkle in her eye, and to Barrett’s utter horror he found himself starting to smile as well. 

Thankfully, Mana took mercy on him and looked away, choosing to glance around the classroom again. “I’m a little nervous too,” she admitted. “Mostly, excited, but also nervous. I know it’ll just be Cammy and Roy for now, but we’ll be teaching Alvarna’s next generation! That’s a huge responsibility, and the town trusts us to do it.” Mana turned back towards him. “It’s nerve wracking, but I know we’re going to do great.” 

Barrett was surprised that Mana’s words had a calming effect on him. Not that he’d actually been nervous or anything, but still. Mana had a way with words. She was going to be one hell of a teacher. 

And Barrett felt lucky to be by her side for the adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this pairing more than I thought I would. The two teachers getting together is pretty cute. Damn you Mana for growing on me.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. Morning - Alicia/Jake

They saw each other every morning.

Sometimes it was cold, and Alicia had a shawl thrown around her bare shoulders as she made her way to the pier. Other times the sun was just heating up enough to make her wish she could shed her remaining clothes. The weather didn’t matter. Every morning, Alicia ran into Jake in the square.

He walked to the blacksmith’s without a falter in his step or a glance at anything but the space right in front of him. Jake made it painfully clear that he’d rather get trampled by a Buffamoo than talk to anyone.

But that never stopped Alicia.

“Good morning,” she’d say, usually in her sultry drawl. For the first few months after Jake first moved to town, he ignored her completely. His eyes would sometimes flicker to her, but he’d quickly refocus and be on his way.

After a while, he stopped outright ignoring her. That in itself impressed Alicia. Instead, he’d grunt and keep walking.

Well, any progress was still progress, Alicia supposed. She was clearly still annoying him. It was still fun, so she kept doing it.

Eventually it became more of a habit than anything. Alicia stopped thinking about why she greeted him every morning even though she only got a lukewarm reply. For years that was how they greeted each other. Except for the occasional holiday, Alicia and Jake were a strange, dependable part of each other’s morning.

Maybe two years after Kyle came to town (it’s funny how many of Alvarna’s residents began referring to time as ‘Before Kyle’ and ‘After Kyle’) their routine changed. Jake changed.

It was spring and Alicia was already in a good mood. Her mother didn’t nag her that morning and she was looking forward to being in the perfect weather all day. As she passed Jake in the square, she said “Good morning!” with a little more cheer than she normally would have.

“Morning,” Jake replied, not even sparing her a glance and continuing on his way as usual.

Alicia, however, swiveled around and stared at Jake’s retreating back. Her mouth was gaping open and she quickly shut it, trying to appear more put together. “Hey!” Jake turned around at her call, his face scrunched up and scowl apparent.

“What is it, human?” he sneered. His indifferent tone from when he first greeted her was long gone.

Alicia put her hands on her hips, her initial surprise wearing off. “Like you don’t know. How many years have we known each other? And never once have you ever said ‘good morning’ back to me.”

“I never actually said ‘good’,” Jake argued back. He crossed his arms and his eyes flitted to the fountain, like he wanted to ignore her. As if Alicia would let him get away with that anymore.

“Don’t be a smartass. You know what I meant.”

“You’re overthinking, which is something I didn’t think anyone of your species was capable of doing.”

Alicia was many things. She was many things she’d never admit to, but her mother would gladly reprimand her for. But one thing she could be proud for being, was a people person. Not that she wanted to spend her every waking moment with other people, but she understood them. Understood what made them tick, how their minds worked, what their behaviors said about their innermost wants and dreams. She wouldn’t be able to make money in her line of work if she wasn’t able to connect to people.

It also worked in Alicia’s favor that she lived in such a small town. Rarely did anyone move in and even rarer did anyone move out. She’d had _years_ to cultivate her interpretation of each individual resident of Alvarna. Jake was no exception.

That’s why she could see through his trick so easily. He was trying to get her mad and distract her. The clever bastard almost pulled it off.

So Alicia did the opposite of what he wanted. Her stance became more relaxed and her smile returned. And she couldn’t help but take some satisfaction in how that seemed to make Jake even angrier.

“Now, Jake, sweetie, _surely_ you feel _something_ for me if you’re being so nice to me,” she said in the most syrupy voice she could manage.

Jake’s face turned bright red, a nice contrast to his pale hair, and his face balled up into fists. “You’re being ridiculous! You have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Oh, do I?” Alicia asked, her voice attempting an innocence it could never hope to achieve. “I suppose you elves do know best. Farewell, then.” She batted her eyes at him and turned around, making sure to add a little extra swing to her hips as she glided towards the pier.

From the outraged sputtering Alicia heard behind her, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more to her teasing accusations than she realized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I got the prompt for this chapter from the Rune Factory 13th Anniversary Week that rfweeks hosted on tumblr. It's a little late and I wish I was able to do more for the week like I normally would, but it's a busy time in my life rn so I'm just glad I got this done. Feel free to leave a kudos/comment!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! This is a collaboration between **copernicusjones** and **BelleofHell** , just a little exercise to help us grow as writers and a way for us to express how much we love both Rune Factory 2 and **Milieu** 's ficlet collections.
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys it! Feedback/kudos are always appreciated. ❤️


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